This invention relates generally to the field of surgical knives and, more particularly, to ophthalmic surgical knives.
A variety of surgical knives may be used during ophthalmic surgery to make or modify the opening incision into the globe. These knives are generally made from stainless steel or diamond. While steel knives can be used more than once, most steel knives are intended to be a single use disposable product. Diamond knives are designed to be a reusable item because diamond knives are expensive relative to steel knives. One of the benefits of diamond knife blades is that they can be honed very sharp, and the sharpness of diamond knives is generally superior to stainless steel knives. Manufacturers of prior art stainless steel knives have attempted to increase the sharpness of stainless steel knives by narrowing the distal blade tip, and making the extreme distal point of the blade very pointed. These narrow and pointed tips limit the blade's ability to distribute forces and they make these tips vulnerable to bending.
Accordingly, a need continues to exist for a stainless steel surgical knife having superior sharpness while resisting bending.